The Venezuelan photographer considers that the aggressive spread of the Unomia stolonifera coral is not simply an environmental problem; it also creates cultural and emotional difficulties. Every time she dives and comes back with underwater images, she brings the urgency of the protection of the sea to the surface.

Unomia Stolonifera – what are the characteristics of this type of coral?
This soft coral from the Indo-Pacific is a particularly formidable species due to its rapid and aggressive spread. It reproduces both sexually and asexually, allowing even small fragments to quickly colonize new areas. In 2014, Unomia unexpectedly appeared off the coast of Venezuela, likely introduced through the illegal aquarium trade. Devoid of natural predators, it swiftly overran local ecosystems, taking over 80% of shallow reefs and hard substrates. This invasion has displaced other corals and seagrass fields, essential to marine biodiversity.

What specific consequences does this have for Venezuela and its population?
The consequences are severe: as native species vanish, fish populations that rely on these habitats are also rapidly disappearing. The most distressing aspect is the speed of this destruction. Entire ecosystems, which supported vibrant marine life and local communities for centuries, are being wiped out in just a few years. What I witnessed underwater was heartbreaking – kilometres of coast overrun by slimy, foul-smelling coral that had driven away the fish and suffocated corals that had been growing for centuries. The speed of this invasion is astonishing.

Carlos Pereira, part of the UCV team, immerses himself in Valle Seco surrounded by Unomia Stolonifera as part of the ongoing research efforts

Biologist Jesús Subero displays a sample of Unomia Stolonifera coral in Mochima National Park, the site of the most extensive invasion by this coral

Israel Sosa hauls in a catch while working at the Guayamure fishing point, a 15-minute boat ride from Puerto Colombia. He notes a slowdown and deterioration in fishing over the past year

Carlos Jove (right) and Angel Blanco (left) clean the beach of dead coral, Unomia Stolonifera, which they remove by hand and organize to attract more tourists and keep the beach clean in Parque Nacional Mochima on November 20, 2023

A skeleton of a bird surrounded by Unomia Stolonifera in Ña Cleta, near Valle Seco on November 20, 2023

What was your impetus for the project?
This project is a personal mission fuelled by my deep connection to the Caribbean Sea, a place that holds a special significance for many Venezuelans, including myself. The Caribbean is our sanctuary, where we find peace, joy, and freedom. When I learned of the alarming discovery I felt a profound responsibility to act. This project required me to immerse myself – literally and figuratively – into the depths of the issue. I took up free-diving and learned underwater photography, not just as a technical challenge but as a way to fully grasp the gravity of the situation. I wanted to capture the urgency, fragility, and beauty of what’s at stake.

What do your pictures show?
My primary goal was to highlight a critical yet often overlooked crisis threatening our marine ecosystem. I hoped to bring this hidden world to the surface – literally and metaphorically – so that people could truly see and feel the urgency of what was happening. I wanted to capture the stark contrast between the once-thriving marine life and the barren, coral-smothered seascapes left in Unomia’s wake. The absence of fish and the suffocated corals – these images are meant to be a wake-up call. But it’s not just about the devastation; it’s also about the resilience and dedication of those fighting back. There’s a small but determined community of scientists and experts who are working tirelessly, with limited resources, to understand and combat this invasion. I wanted to show the world their struggle, commitment, and hope.

Unomia Stolonifera exposed on land in Valle Seco on November 8, 2023

Reiver, Luis Miguel, Nene, and Juan, all fishermen, gather in front of the altar of Juan Bautista in Puerto Colombia, Choroní. They express concerns over the fishing industry, citing damages and a slowdown, on November 10, 2023

Jorge Garcia, a passionate advocate for the sea, navigates his 24-foot inflatable boat. As the founder of Unomia Solutions, he endeavors to develop machinery to combat Unomia in Mochima National Park on November 22, 2023

Mariano Oñoro of the Unomia Project gives an informative class on the danger and risk of the invasive coral Unomia Stolonifera to 80 students between six and thirteen years old at the Don Bosco school in Barcelona on November 21, 2023

You used the Q3 and had a special underwater casing built for it. How exactly does it work, and what were the technical requirements for it?
The Q3’s compact size and high resolution made it ideal for underwater photography, so I had a custom underwater case built specifically for it. However, because it was a one-off design, it didn’t have full functionality – I was missing the control for the aperture, which added an extra challenge. Despite this, the case was robust, waterproof, and allowed me to capture the intricate details of the marine environment while adjusting settings as best as I could underwater.

What challenges did you face while taking the underwater shots?
Shooting underwater was a whole new level of challenging – especially when you’re photographing corals, which, let’s face it, aren’t exactly sprinting away. But that doesn’t make it easy! Positioning your body underwater is a dance with the tides and the subject. This means working slowly and being hyperaware of your surroundings. It also means handling your equipment with subtle precision to get the shots you want. Light was another major challenge, especially since I love shooting in colour. As you go deeper, the light fades – reds disappear, and everything turns blue. I chose to work with natural light to be as non-intrusive as possible, but it required careful consideration of how to capture the true essence of the scene. On top of all this, I was carrying a lot of equipment, constantly moving without an anchor, all while dealing with the pressure of being underwater.

Stefany Marquez, a student of the Don Bosco school in Barcelona, reflects on the activities organized by the Unomia Project. She states, “the effects of the invasive coral Unomia Stolonifera go beyond affecting biodiversity. If our marine fauna is affected, this has repercussions on fishing and tourism on the coast.”

A collaborative team from the Tropical Zoology Institute of the Central University of Venezuela (UCV) and the Venezuelan Institute of Scientific Research (IVIC) conducts comprehensive sampling of water and vegetation. Their aim is to gain a clear understanding of the ecosystem in which Unomia stolonifera thrives

Lechería, the city closest to the invasion of Unomia Stolonifera in Valle Seco, on November 20, 2023

Jorge Garcia, leader of Unomia Solutions, a company dedicated to find a solution to eradicate coral, dives with a cutter. According to him, this technology cuts 80% of the body without moving it; however, it does not serve to denature it in all places, for example, around the fire coral, since it would also kill this coral. The machine also sucks the coral and enters a tank, on the island of Cachicamo, Mochima National Park, on November 22, 2023

Fragments of Unomia Stolonifera, detached after being targeted with an ultrasound gun created by Jorge García, leader of Unomia Solutions, a company dedicated to finding a solution to eradicate the cora in Cachicamo Island, Mochima National Park, on November 22, 2023

Ana Yranzo, marine ecosystems research scientist at the Tropical Zoology Institute of the Central University of Venezuela (UCV), and senior lecturer Estrella Villamizar, also from UCV’s Tropical Zoology Institute, conclude their in situ research day on the invasive coral Unomia Stolonifera. They gather coral samples to transport to the laboratory in Valle Seco on November 8, 2023

How did the camera perform?
The camera was absolutely amazing. But the start of this process was nothing short of nerve-wracking. Imagine this: it’s my first time doing underwater photography, and I’m about to dunk my precious camera into the ocean. My mentor, Matt Draper, casually dropped the bomb that if even ONE grain of sand got inside the housing, the whole mission would be toast. So, I turned into this obsessive, ritualistic neat freak every morning – meticulously assembling the housing like it was some kind of sacred art. But the moment I hit the water, all that anxiety just floated away. I messed up, experimented, went deeper than I ever thought I could, and it ended up changing me completely. Underwater, you can’t rush – you move slowly, flow with the currents, respect the environment, and learn to see light in ways you never imagined. It totally transformed the way I approach photography.

Born in 1988 in Caracas, Venezuela, Ana María Arévalo Gosen is a visual storyteller now based in Madrid. She frequently travels to Latin America to work on her projects, focusing on women’s rights, social justice, and environmental issues. Her work has earned her several honours, including the Leica Oskar Barnack and Camille Lepage Awards in 2021. Her work has been featured in international media like The New York Times, National Geographic, and El País Semanal, and exhibited globally at venues including the Open Your Eyes Fotofestival in Zurich, Fotografiska New York and the Ernst-Leitz Museum. Find out more about her photography on her website and Instagram account.

The project was done with the support of the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting.